Baker’s Gross advances in UA voting

December 10, 2013

Ida Baker student-athlete Amanda Gross, who was nominated for the Ultimate Athlete (UA) competition conducted by USA TODAY and Asics, has advanced from the top 100 to the remaining top 36 nationally.

Gross was nominated to the competition because of her national rankings in volleyball as well as her competitiveness in ROTC Raiders and previous record-setting achievements in track and other sports. She is one of only two freshmen in the country and one of three nominees in Florida that plays volleyball.

The UA competition placed athletes in eight regions for a total of three online voting rounds. The top two vote-getters from each of the eight regions are now available for voting in the semifinal round. The semifinal round voting runs until noon on Dec. 16.

When the votes are counted, eight athletes advance to the final round of voting. Site visitors can read athlete bios and athletic achievements by clicking on their name.

Being in the top 100 athletes in the nation makes Amanda's school athletic programs available to earn money during the final voting process.

Loza had 13 points, seven rebounds and six steals to lead the Bulldogs while Petter added 10 points, five rebounds and two steals.

The Bulldogs broke out to a 20-point advantage early. After the Sharks managed to trip the margin to a dozen in the middle of the game, the Bulldogs opened it up again and held the advantage down the stretch.

Owen Roos hit a game-high 14 points for the Sharks with Brandon Watts contributing nine points and Brooks Pratt handing out five assists.